


Here and Now

by moeyywrites



Series: Here and Now [1]
Category: Ghost Adventures (TV)
Genre: Aaron Goodwin/Best Friend! Reader, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, GAC Crew Member Reader, Hints at Strained Family, Zak Bagans x Reader, there will be smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:47:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26298889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moeyywrites/pseuds/moeyywrites
Summary: Great, what have I gotten myself into? This started as a random idea that was in no way planned. I didn’t even think it would be something worth posting. Now, it’s becoming a series that I’m praying I’ll be able to update regularly. I don’t really know where it’s going yet. I guess we’ll find out together. Please let me know what you think. Thanks!Summary: The reader has been a part of the GAC team for a little while now, and is loving every moment of it. Unfortunately, her parents don't exactly agree with her career change. Nevertheless, the reader keeps doing what she loves with the full support of her amazing crew members. One thing she never expected, however, is one of those crew members asking her out.
Relationships: Zak Bagans/Original Female Character(s), Zak Bagans/Reader
Series: Here and Now [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1910833
Comments: 3
Kudos: 26





	1. Chapter 1

“Yes Mom.” You sighed. “No, I won’t be. I’ll be filming that week.” Another sigh. “No, I’m not going to be looking for another job.” You rolled your eyes and leaned your head back over the back of your folding chair. “Mom, this is what I want to do—Okay. Love you too.”

You tossed your phone over onto the table in front of you and sighed. You loved your parents, but they didn’t quite understand when you told them you were leaving your cozy job as a nurse to hunt ghosts. Your mom blamed your long-time friend, Jay Wasley, for “luring” you into the field. Every time you talked to her, she begged you to rejoin the medical field, but there was nothing that could convince you to do anything else than be a part of the Ghost Adventures team.

You loved joining the guys on investigations, being the main audio-visual tech for the last year. That allowed Billy and Jay to be more involved in the investigations, which was especially helpful when investigating the larger sites.

Not to mention, you were working with some of the nicest people you had ever met.

You never second guessed the career change. When the guys asked you to be a part of the team, you jumped on it without even giving it another thought. Jay and you had both taken film classes in college, but you changed majors after your family urged you to find something “more career friendly”. He knew you loved working with different types of cameras and had a very keen eye for the slightest hints of evidence on the screen. And the other men on the team couldn’t agree more.

As you let out a long sigh, you heard footsteps to your left. You glanced over to a tall, spiky-haired figure illuminated by the sun behind.

“Hey Zak,” you greeted the leader of your team. He lowered himself down into the chair beside you and smiled. His sunglasses were sliding down his nose, and the wide brim of his hat shielded your eyes slightly from the sun.

“Hey, what was all of that about?” he questioned, nodding towards your phone. You just shrugged and huffed out a frustrated breath.

“It’s just my mom. You know, same shit, different day. She’s constantly questioning my ‘career choice’ and telling me that I don’t know what I’m doing.” You closed your eyes. “She only sees a job for the money.”

Zak nodded. “Yeah, well some people see that. Some people do something because they know the pay check is going to be awesome, and the title is going to make them look good to everyone else.” You laughed.

“Yeah, well, the pay check isn’t too shabby for you, is it?” you both laughed and turned to the building in front of you. It was another location, and the interviews were going to start shortly. You decided to make a small station to set up and charge cameras between interviews, and keep a few pieces of equipment handy for any impromptu investigating.

You glanced away, trying to ignore the intense set of butterflies in your stomach whenever Zak was near you. Sure, you had met him several times before you became part of the team. Hell, he was one of the people who fought for your spot on the show. But, you didn’t know a whole lot about the man at your side. Jay had filled you in on the basics of his life, but that was about it. Sure, he was goofy, nerdy, and a little bit full of himself. But, he was also a kind and friendly guy, something you weren’t really expecting.

He had welcomed you with open arms, as they all did. He made sure that you always felt included when you wanted to be and checked in with you whenever there was an emotionally heavy case. You wouldn’t tell anyone in the media, but he was secretly the caretaker of the group.

So, it was no wonder he was sitting beside you after hearing your phone call. He could sense when something was off about a crew member. It was definitely something unique about Zak Bagans.

“Do you ever second guess being here? Leaving the nursing field?” You shook your head adamantly.

“Not for a second. I became a nurse because my dad is a doctor and pressured me into joining the same field. I liked it, don’t get me wrong, but I wanted to help people in another way.” You peered over at Jay, who was fiddling with Aaron’s camera. “Thanks to Jay, I’m here doing just that.”

“Well, we all agreed for you to join. To be honest, it’s been really nice having a different perspective on everything. You always find the best positions for the static-vision and x-cameras, and always find logical reasons for our equipment malfunctions. You have a gift, Y/N.” You could feel your cheeks redden at Zak’s words. You ran your fingers through your hair.

“Thanks, Zak. That means a lot.” Your gaze flicked back to your phone for a moment. “I know my parents love me and want what’s best for me. I just wish that they knew I’m at the age where I can find that out for myself.” Zak nodded, loosely crossing his legs.

“They do love you. There are plenty of people who love you, Y/N. And we’re all here for you.” You leaned back a little, raising a brow.

“Plenty of people? Like who?” Your heart fluttered, secretly wondering if he was implying something more behind his words. Could he be? No, not Zak. That wasn’t like him.

Zak smirked. “Well, I freaking hope you know by now that the crew loves you. Jay’s known you for what, at least a decade? More? Aaron and you have that never-ending prank war thing that I swear is going to be the death of one of you. From the second time you met, I knew you were pretty much platonic soulmates. And watching you and Billy geek out over equipment together makes me smile. Nerds.”

You nodded, practically beaming. Zak always knew what to say and when to say it, at least most of the time.

“And I think you’re a great addition to the team. You’re smart, fun to be around. It’s like you’ve been with us since the beginning.” You didn’t know what else to do but smile. Where the hell was all of this coming from? Sure, Zak was usually sweet and uplifting, but this was a lot coming from him. He was rarely this intense.

“That means a lot, Zak. I’m really glad to be working with everyone. I really do love you all too.” You and Zak stared at each other for a moment before he spoke again.

“You know, you’re really a special person, Y/N. Your parents know that, the team knows that, And I definitely know that.” He pushed his glasses up his nose, then cleared his throat. Was he nervous? Zak Bagans, nervous? Huh.

“Uh, thanks Zak. Really.” He was kind of repeating himself, like he was trying to hint at something he was too afraid to say. You had never heard him talk like this before. He was always super straightforward and blunt, never talking in code or hiding meaning behind his words.

“And, I was wondering if you were, um, interested in hanging out more outside of here? You know, outside of the show?” You furrowed your brow.

“We do hang out. I mean, we all meet for lunch or dinner, and meet at each other’s houses—”

“I know, but I meant you and me. You know, just the two of us.” Your brow shot up as your stomach swirled.

“Um, are you asking me out Mr. Bagans?” No fucking way. He couldn’t be. There’s no way Zak Bagans would be asking you out.

“Yep. Yeah, I am.” Oh, you stood corrected.

“Well, I, uh, yeah. That sounds awesome.” You studied his confident smirk.

Zak nodded to himself. “Awesome,” he repeated. “Let’s focus on this lockdown, then we’ll work out the details. But, I know of a great place I want to bring you to.” He reached over and gently placed his hand on top of yours. 

You flipped your hand over and wrapped it around his. “I can’t wait.” And that was the God-honest truth. Your whole life flipped in the best possible way over the last several minutes, and your head was reeling as you tried to accept your new reality.

You were dating, or about to date, Zak Bagans.

“Hey, Zak, we’re almost ready to go!” Jay called over. Zak perked his head up.

“I’ll be right there!” He squeezed your hand, then pulled away. As he stood, he offered his award-winning smile, then made it over to his friends.

You really needed to get your camera ready, but you couldn’t move. Your brain was still struggling to process. Not only was this whole thing something you never dreamed of, it completely came out of left field. Zak was a natural flirt, but you didn’t think he flirted with you more than any other woman he met. He was respectful, avoiding any type of sexual jokes, and making sure he called out the others if anything made you noticeably uncomfortable. That was half the reason your brain was still currently malfunctioning.

Your phone buzzed in your hand, shocking you from your thoughts. You unlocked your phone and opened your messages.

_New Message: Jay Wasleyyyy_

You studied the message, which was a simple thumbs up emoji. You glanced up at your buddy, who shared your gaze, standing beside a grinning Aaron. Great. Sure, Jay knew about how you felt towards Zak. It was hard to keep it a secret sometimes, especially from someone who had known you as long as Jay did. He obviously knew that Zak was up to something too. Sneaky bastard.

But, now Aaron wasn’t going to leave you alone about it. _Joy._ All you needed was your goofy friend poking at you as singing ridiculous songs about love and shit.

Another message pinged, forcing you to glanced back down at your phone.

_New Message: Zak Attack_

It was another wordless message, with a black heart and a winking face emoji. Totally Zak’s dorky yet oddly suave style.

You stared at the message, suddenly giddy with excitement. Now that your brain had come back down to Earth, you were nothing but excited about what was to come. You had no idea what Zak had up his sleeve, or how the two of you were going to do in a romantic relationship, but there was an odd exhilaration in not knowing.

With a long exhale, you silenced your phone and slipped it into your pocket. Then, you lifted your camera from the table in front of you and headed off to join your team.


	2. Chapter 2

You stared at the screen, waiting for the exact time where Aaron claimed to see a shadow in the doorway. Jay watched the screen beside you, squinting ever so slightly. You had bugged him a million times about getting his eyes checked, but he refused. Stubborn ass. But, it was his choice, and that was that.

“There,” you whispered as a dark mass rushed over to the left of the door frame. It was faint, but there was definitely something there. You picked up your walkie talkie.

“Hey, Aaron. We definitely caught something on the night-vision camera in the corner of the room. It doesn’t look like a figure from this view, but there’s definitely a dark mass of some sort there.” It looked more like a mist, but it was really dark. No light was passing through it.

“Man, I saw a shoulder and an arm go through that doorway. I may have caught it on my camera too, but I don’t know.” He was obviously shaken up, having been left in the most active room alone again.

“Well, mark the time and we’ll go over it later,” you noted, writing the time on your notepad.

“Cool, cool.” Aaron continued his EVP session as your gaze moved to another camera. You watched Zak and Billy in the basement, who were gathered around the spirit box. They didn’t seem to be getting any voices yet, but they had only been down there for thirty minutes or so.

“I’m surprised that Zak and Billy aren’t hearing anything. Someone was found buried in that basement. I was sure things would be nuts down there.” You continued to watch the monitor with Jay, hoping for something to come through the static.

“Yeah,” Jay replied. “I didn’t like the feeling I got down there earlier.” He rested his head on his fist and kept watching the screen.

Zak sighed and shifted his weight, staring down at the spirit box in his hand. “Why won’t you talk to us?”

“This is your last chance to talk to us,” Billy announced, his frustration clear on his face. You couldn’t help but smile at the two, before turning back to Aaron’s screen.

Just as you changed your focus, Aaron’s voice came over the walkie.

“Dude, you guys, I keep seeing that damn shadow out of the corner of my eye.” He peered around the room, his eyes wide with what you were sure was fear. You zoned in on him, trying to capture what he was seeing.

Meanwhile, Zak and Billy joined you back at the nerve center, not capturing anything else in the damn basement. Zak pulled up a chair and sat between you and Jay, casually stretching his arm over the back of your chair. It was something he did all the time, but something about the closeness made your heart flutter. Was it because you knew about Zak’s feelings towards you now, and you knew it wasn’t just a friendly motion? You sucked in a deep breath and smiled to yourself.

“Woah, Billy, don’t sit down. I want you to go up there with Aaron and bring the SLS with you. See if you can capture a figure from whatever shadow Aaron is seeing,” Zak instructed with a smirk. Billy huffed and sighed, before following his instructions.

Once Billy made his way up to Aaron, the three of you watched the screens closely. Zak kept his arm behind you while he leaned forward just a little. A small whiff of his cologne filled your senses, spicy and dark. Mmmm. You never realized how good he smelled. You snuck a glance over to him, taking in the sharp features of his jaw. Geez, he was beautiful.

You tensed as you felt his thumb softly smoothing circles into your shoulder. Your eyes flicked back over to Zak, capturing his gaze. He smiled, tilting his head a little, almost as if to ask you if what he was doing was okay. You just smiled, then turned back to the screen.

Why the hell were you so affected be him all of a sudden? You had a crush on the lead investigator pretty much since you met. But, now that you knew he felt the same way, and those feelings were out in the open, something felt different. You felt different around him. It was like you needed to squeeze out every moment of touch, every second of closeness. You craved it now more than ever.

You needed to calm yourself down. You weren’t even officially dating yet.

**

The rest of the night went on without too much excitement. You got back to your condo just after seven thirty in the morning, and after a shower, you crawled straight into bed.

Your body ached with exhaustion as you settled into bed, waiting for your body to succumb to the impending slumber. After lockdowns, it always took you a good two to three nights to get back into the swing of things. You usually slept for about six hours the day you got back home, then six hours more whenever you ended up falling asleep that night, then for about eight hours the next. By then, you usually were back to a reasonably normal sleep pattern.

Much to your luck, the location for this week’s location was in Vegas, allowing you to return home right after the lockdown. A rare treat you were incredibly thankful for.

You rested your head onto your pillow and threw your phone beside you on the mattress. You had switched on the Do Not Disturb setting, hoping no one would disrupt your sleep. Nothing was going to come between you and your much-needed rest.

You woke up just after two in the afternoon. Your body was stiff from sitting in the nerve center for all those hours, but you needed to get up and moving. There was no reason to just lay there in bed. It only really made you more tired. You needed to get up and about with your day.

As you rolled over, you grabbed your phone and unlocked the screen.

4 New Messages: Zak Attack

(10:48am) Zak: Hey, are you up?

(10:56am) Zak: You must be asleep. Sweet dreams. :)

(12:40pm) Zak: Text me when you’re awake. No rush. I just wanted to know when you’re free next. You know, for our date. ;)

(1:04pm) Zak: Okay, one more text. Also, random question. Are you a coffee or tea person? And, what kind?

You grinned down at your phone as you sprang upright and swung your legs over the side of your bed. Sure, Zak texted you pretty often, mostly about upcoming lockdowns, but never right after a lockdown. That’s when he claimed he needed his ‘beauty sleep’.

With a smile, you thought about your answer.

(2:14pm) Y/N: Hey Zak, I’m awake now. :) I’m free tomorrow or anytime the rest of the week. I should be pretty well rested by then.

You plopped your phone down beside you as your stomach growled. You hadn’t eaten much since dinner before the lockdown, except for the protein bar you shoved down your throat before you drifted off to sleep. Hmm, pancakes.

As you turned back to your phone, you watched the little ellipses wiggle on the screen, indicating that Zak was already writing a reponse.

(2:17pm) Zak: Good morning, gorgeous. ;) Tomorrow is totally doable. What about my other question?

(2:18pm) Y/N: It’s the afternoon, you dork. And you mean questions? :P I like both tea and coffee, but I’m a little more of a coffee person.

(2:20pm) Zak: Smart ass. And okay. Tomorrow, I’ll pick you up around 3pm? We can both sleep in, and I’ll have coffee at the ready.

(2:21pm) Y/N: Where are we going?

(2:22pm) Zak: It’s a surprise. Deal?

Your smile grew as you chuckled to yourself. Zak Bagans was such a dweeb. He absolutely loved planning things and surprising people. It made things easy when you went on investigations and toured the surrounding areas. No one ever fought about where to eat. Zak always found a place and acted as a tour guide as he dragged you all around the location. He took everyone’s liking and food restrictions into account. But, he was a natural planner, which was something you simply weren’t.

(2:25pm) Y/N: Deal. 3pm tomorrow.

(2:26pm) Zak: Cool. I can’t wait. ;)

You launched up from the bed and quickly shuffled to the hall and headed for the kitchen. You were beyond excited to hang out with Zak alone, without the rest of the crew for once. Your stomach flipped as you repeated that it was a date in your head.

A fucking date with Zak Bagans. Oh, boy.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reader gets ready for their date, wondering what's going to happen. A surprise text from their best friend doesn't exactly ease their anxiety. Then, the day finally comes.

You munched on your pancakes as you watched your favorite show on your iPad. This was the time you loved, the time where you could just veg out and relax. You were sporting some black leggings and a long, very oversized shirt you found at the bottom of your drawer a few months back. The origin of the garment was totally forgotten, but it was freaking comfy.

Your phone buzzed beside you, nearly making your jump out of your skin. Peering down at the screen, you chuckled.

1 New Message: Aar Bear

(3:05pm) Aaron: So, I hear someone I know has a date tomorrow…

You groaned. Oh boy. What was this dork going to tease you about now?

(3:07pm) Y/N: Well, technically, two people you know have a date tomorrow.

(3:09pm) Aaron: I know. Two of my favorite people. I just wanted to say I hope you have fun, and that I’m happy for you. Both of you.

(3:10pm) Y/N: Thanks Aaron. I’m sure it will be fun. Zak said it’s a surprise and won’t tell me where he’s taking me. :(

(3:13pm) Aaron: Well, trust me, it will be fun. ;D

(3:15pm) Y/N: Wait, you know where we’re going? Dude, tell me!!!

You frowned and sighed. Sure, you liked having things planned out for you. But, you liked knowing what you were talking into. Too much of your life, especially recently, involved the unknown. So, in your private life, you preferred predictability.

(3:16pm) Aaron: Of course I do! I helped him plan it! Well, just the details. It was mostly his master plan.

Your stomach sank a little. If Aaron had anything to do with this date, you knew there was going to be some sort of joke on you.

(3:18pm) Well, if you try to sneak a prank in on this date, I’m going to make sure the rest of your life is absolute hell. And that’s not a threat, it’s a promise.

(3:19pm) Aaron: Oh, don’t worry. It will be perfect.

Well, that didn’t ease your nervousness at all. If anything, that wasn’t exactly a ‘no’ on the whole prank thing. You honestly wouldn’t put it past him to show up during your date, or tape you from afar.

But, you weren’t going to allow yourself to dwell on that. You were looking forward to seeing Zak one-on-one, going on whatever adventure he had planned for you.

You took your last bite of pancakes, then headed for your living room. Tomorrow was going to be great, you had no doubt. Well, almost no doubt. But, for now, you needed to rest and daydream about what was to come.

**

You leapt to your feet the moment your doorbell rang. Sure, you were still a bit sleep deprived, but the adrenaline running through you was enough to give you more energy that you usually had on a normal day.

Plus, Zak had promised you coffee.

You opened the door to reveal a very dapper looking Zak. You smiled, taking in his very well fitted button-down short sleeved shirt, and his black cargo pants. His hair was gelled in its usual way, and his glasses were perched on his nose as normal, but something about him seemed even more handsome today.

Or maybe it was your excitement.

“Good afternoon, gorgeous. Did you sleep well?” He smiled, his hands deep in his pockets.

You nodded. “Oh yeah. I woke up just after noon. It was glorious.” Zak laughed.

“Sounds like we had the same morning.” He peered down the hall towards the glass doors at the front of your building. “Well, your chariot awaits,” he chuckled, extending his hand. “Shall we?”

Your chest fluttered the moment your hand slipped into his. This is really happening. Your tiny backpack rocked against the right side of your back as he led you down the hall towards his car.

Once you were in the car, Zak gestured to his ridiculously fancy center console, where two large cups of coffee were waiting for you. You grinned, realizing you probably needed the coffee more than you thought.

“Yours is right here. It’s a caramel… something. I can’t pronounce the freaking word. The girl at the drive through had a field day correcting me.” Zak chuckled and rolled his eyes.

“A macchiato?” you guessed, making sure to annunciate every syllable.

“Yeah, a mackato.” You laughed, quickly clutching your coffee with both hands, making sure not to spill it in Zak’s fancy ride.

“Macchiato,” you repeated, struggling to hold back your chuckle.

“Right, that’s what I said.” You just rolled your eyes, giggling to yourself. He was such a dork.

“Right.” You turned to look out the window as Zak pulled out of his parking spot.

“So, are you excited about our adventure?” Zak inquired, his eyes glued to the road. You took a sip of your coffee. A caramel macchiato indeed.

“I’m excited. However, I’d be a little more excited if I knew where we were going.” You turned to him, offering a questioning, yet playful glare.

Zak smirked, his eyes still on the road as he turned. “Well, let’s just say it’s somewhere you’ve been whining about not being able to go to. But, it’s somewhere that the rest of the team has been more times than we can count.” Zak glanced over at you as he reached for his own coffee. “And, well, let’s just say I’m also kind of offended you haven’t been there yet.”

You snapped your head towards him. Was he taking you to a location? Was he going to have you investigate a place together? Sure, you loved your job, but that wasn’t exactly your idea of romantic. Plus, what place hadn’t you investigated in Vegas?

So, where the hell was he taking you? It almost seemed like he was driving in circles, trying to throw you off and confuse you. It had almost been four years since you had moved to Vegas, and you had worked at two hospitals in that town. It was safe to say you knew where you were going. Not to mention that Zak had been living there for far longer than that.

And this route was, well, it was definitely a diversion.

“Are you giving me the scenic tour of Vegas first?” you teased, catching on to his game. Zak huffed a laugh. “I have to say, Mr. Bagans, you’re a pretty crappy tour guide.”

“There’s no fooling you, is there? Okay, we’re almost there anyway.”

You took another sip of your coffee, catching a glimpse of Zak’s stunning profile. “Good, ‘cause I’m getting carsick,” you played. Zak scoffed, pretending to be offended.

“Hey, I’m a very good driver.”

“You believe whatever you want. But, let’s just say you’re lucky you’re cute,” you teased, your lips curling into an almost painful smile. The two of you burst into laughter.

He winked. “Damn right, I am.”

Zak turned down a street you distinctly remembered, catching you off guard. Wait, no, he wouldn’t bring you there. Your heart leapt into your throat as excitement prickled under your skin. Now everything was starting to make sense.

Zak pulled into the private, gated parking lot of the one place of significance to Zak that you hadn’t been to yet. You stared at the front sign of the building, taking in the reality of it.

“Well here we are,” Zak announced with a smile. He seemed almost as excited as you were, and he owned damn the place. “I hope I can redeem my tour guide reputation.”

You stared up at the building in front of you in a mix of shock and awe. “Wow, freaking finally.” You grinned. “The Haunted Museum.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Please note: I have never been to Zak Bagans' The Haunted Museum. So, any descriptions in this part pretty vague. Oh, and I'm sorry that this chapter may be a little bit slow. But, trust me, more is coming. Haha.

Zak slid out of the car and quickly made his way over to your side, pulled the door open for you. He extended his hand again.

“Ready for your personal tour?” Personal? Did he close the museum just to give you a tour? You peered around, finding no cars other than the Haunted Museum’s hearse parked a few spots away. Holy shit, he really did close the place down for you.

You took your handsome friend’s hand and allowed him to lift you from the car. He closed the door, keeping your hand in his, his fingers curling between yours. He proudly escorted the two of you down the narrow walkway that led to the front door.

The moment Zak unlocked the door, your stomach fluttered with excitement. This had been something you had wanted to do for a super long time. Ever since Jay had mentioned that Zak collected haunted artifacts, and owned his own freaking museum, you had been eager to see what kind of things he had collected other the years.

Now, over a year after becoming formally acquainted with Zak, you were finally going to see his collection in it’s entirety.

The moment the two of you had made it into the front room, Zak literally pulled you to the first cluster of items, instantly explaining each one with the widest smile you had ever seen. You listened as he nearly jumped out of his skin with excitement. His brilliant blue eyes glistened in the artificial light was he pointed to each item.

As you listened to the various stories, you realized how vastly intelligent Zak really was. You knew he was a history buff, but the amount of information he retained and retold about each and every item the two of you encountered was incredible. Honestly, you could listen him go on and on all day.

Luckily, that was the plan.

As he two of you moved on, connected by the hand, you could feel the absolute intensity of the place. It was like every single artifact was watching you as you walked passed, like the very souls of the former owners were hidden within the seams and surfaces of each item.

And you would tell the energy from certain pieces affected Zak. At times, he was quiet, almost somber as he spoke. Other times, he was like a kid in a freaking candy store. The shift was almost instant. You knew he was sensitive to the paranormal, much more than any other person you at come in contact with. But, this wasn’t the usual reaction you saw on lockdowns. This was subtle. If you weren’t as knowledgeable about the paranormal, and about Zak, you may not have noticed.

Zak smiled as he approached the next group of objects. “This is one that was offered to me at an investigation we did a few years back. The owner of the location approached me off camera and offered it to me. I mean, how could I say no?” Zak laughed, staring down at the item. His hand rested lightly on your shoulder, making that whole side of your body tingle.

“I mean, knowing you, I’m sure you could never refuse an offer like that,” you teased, nudging his side.

“Oh no, not a chance.” Zak stood beside you as the two of you studied the object for another moment, before leading you onto the next room.

**

The two of you spent nearly three hours in the museum, wondering from room to room. Each of Zak’s stories was more thrilling than the next, and each room gave you a stronger case of the heebie-geebies.

Once the tour was officially complete, the two of you stood in front of the main entrance. Zak was still laughing from a joke you had muttered under your breath. God, he was freaking adorable when he laughed. The way his sparkling eyes squinted, and his nose scrunched just enough to force his glasses to slide down. His beautifully toned arm wrapped around his stomach as he leaned over.

“Oh my gosh, I walked into that one,” Zak huffed as he struggled to regain his composure.

“You really did,” you chuckled. “Anyways, thanks for showing me the place. I’m sure I got a much more detailed tour than most of your patrons.” You blushed a little. “I’d give the tour guide five stars,” you joked.

Zak smiled. “Oh, my pleasure. A little birdie told me that you have been dying to see what I have here. And now, you know as much about my collection as I do.” He winked, chuckling lightly to himself.

“Yeah, I’ve mentioned it once or twice to Jay over the years,” you teased. “I just can’t believe it’s taken me this long to get here.”

“Well, I knew you would appreciate a personal tour, and that took a little while to plan.” Your brow furrowed. A little while? How long had he been planning this for?

“Wait, what?” That was all you managed to mutter as your mind wrapped around your timeline. He had only asked you out a few days ago. Was he planning this before your lockdown?

Zak pursed his lips as he shifted his weight. “Yeah, well, let’s just say this was in the works for a little while.” You smirked.

“Oh, so when you asked me out, you were confident I would say yes?” Zak smiled.

“More hopeful than confident. But, let’s just say someone mentioned that you might feel the same way about me as I do of you.” Your heart fluttered at his admission. He was hoping that you liked him? You knew that was something you needed a while to process.

“Let me guess, a little birdie told you?” you played. Zak laughed.

“Yeah, a little birdie.” Dammit, Jay. So much for confiding in your best friend. Although, if he had filled Zak in on how you felt, he was the reason why you were where you were. So, you actually owed the man a thank you. Big time.

“That same little birdie told me that you really liked a little restaurant in town. What do you say to some dinner?” Zak extended his hand to you again. He obviously thought that was a suave move.

It definitely was.

“There are a ton of places I like in town, so that doesn’t narrow it down very much. But, either way, I’m down for some dinner.” You took his hand again. With his award-winning smile, he led you out the door, and onward to your next mysterious location.


	5. Chapter 5

Once the two of you were back in Zak’s car, everything about today started to sink in. You had just spent hours geeking out at Zak’s museum, exploring the extraordinary and macabre items he showcased. And, that wasn’t even the best part. Zak was totally adorable, and he was so proud of his collection. Watching him beam with pride over his priceless artifacts made your heart soar.

And that smile was still curled across his lips.

“So, you aren’t going to tell me where we’re going, are you?” you poked, secretly a bit tired of the surprises. Zak chuckled beside you.

“You’ll find out soon enough.” His eyes were on the road, shaded by his glasses. “But, I have a few questions.” He glanced over a winked. “What was your favorite exhibit in there?”

You turned your head forward towards the road as you thought. You honestly didn’t know the answer to the question. There were so many great pieces and stories that Zak has shared with you, that there was no possible way you could pick just one. You were sure you couldn’t even pick a top three.

“Oh, that a tough one.” You turned back to him, chuckling. “I loved all of it, but I have to say, all of your memorabilia from serial killers is seriously impressive.” You grinned as you remembered Zak’s handsome smile wide across his lips while he narrated the story behind each item.

“The serial killer room, huh?” His eyebrows shot far above the rim on his glasses. “Should I be worried?” he teased, squeezing your hand. You laughed, then peered down at your hand in his, balancing on the gear shift. When had he taken your hand? You smiled as you watched his thumb smooth soft circles over the back of your hand.

“No need to be worried,” you replied in a whisper, your eyes locked on your hands. Your heart pounded in your chest. “You aren’t dating a serial killer.”

Zak sighed jokingly and chuckled. “Oh, good. What a relief. I don’t plan on becoming a ghost just yet.” You cackled at his cheesy joke, rolling your eyes.

**

The restaurant that Zak pulled up to was, indeed, very familiar. The quaint, yet modern little restaurant clear across town from the strip was well lit, and at least half-full already. The windows were lined with thick, crimson curtains, and the carpet was just a shade off from true black. It was posh, and that was the second time you ever even thought about using that word.

The first time was when you had first officially met the crew, other than Jay of course. It was the day of your ‘interview’ for the position.

Jay had set it all up for you after the two of you had talked for hours about how much you hated your shifts at the hospital. Like you told your mom, it wasn’t the people, it was the monotony of it all. And, as bad as it sounded in your head, it just wasn’t your passion.

And, that was just how it you explained it to the crew the last time you were in that little restaurant, too nervous to eat and too caught up in your nervous thoughts to appreciate the place. But, from what you remember telling Jay and Zak months later, the three bites of your meal were pretty memorable.

Zak pulled into a parking spot a few rows from the front door, where there were no other cars around, and shut off the car. He had a habit of doing that, or so you picked up.

Zak turned to you, not getting out of the car quite yet, and smiled.

“I know it’s not super fancy, but I think it means something for both of us. It was the first time I formally met you and realized that we were missing something on our team.” He offered a sincere smile. “And, well, this might sound cheesy, but you know I’m a cheese call.” He chuckled to himself. “But, that day, you took my breath away—” He stopped himself and huffed a nervous laugh. Zak Bagans, nervous? This was something I wasn’t you were used to seeing, or something you knew how to respond to.

So, you just sat there for a moment and smiled, taking in the gorgeous sight of Zak laughing at himself, and absorbing his last spoken words.

“Sorry, uh, how about we head inside, huh? I’m getting pretty hungry.” Zak grinned, leaning forward a little to catch your gaze. You smiled and nodded, then reached for the door handle.

**

You followed Zak to the front door to the little restaurant, where the greeter at the front obviously recognized him, and probably recognized you too, but didn’t say anything. You watched as the young woman nearly leapt out of her skin as she fumbled for a few menus and saw you to your seats.

Once you were shown to your seat, the woman lingered for a moment longer, like she wanted to say something, but finally walked away. You were sure Zak could tell, and he usually liked interacting with fans, but she probably saw that it was just the two of you and didn’t want the truth to get out just yet.

Zak smiled at you from across the small, two-seater table. His icy blue gaze locked on yours and lingered, making you blush.

“This doesn’t feel weird to you, does it?” The question came out of left field, catching you completely off guard.

“I mean, a little, just because the other guys aren’t here. It’s not like we hang out, just the two of us, like ever.” You smiled, lowering your menu. “But, that doesn’t make it a bad thing. I’ve had a blast so far. And, I feel like I’m finally getting to know you. Yeah, we work together, but we don’t get to talk just the two of us very often. It’s like I know you, but I don’t really know you.”

You sucked in a breath, waiting for Zak to reply. Instead, his smile widened as he kept his gaze locked on your reddening cheeks.

“I’m rambling, aren’t I?”

Zak chuckled. “Yeah, a little bit.” He closed his menu and let out a long sigh. “But, you aren’t wrong.” You grinned.

“I rarely am.” Zak laughed, his arm moving to his stomach as he leaned back in his seat. You loved that deep, true laugh you were seeing more and more often lately. You wished he would laugh like that all the time.

And, maybe, that was your goal for tonight.

**

Zak pulled into the parking lot of your condo building and parked in the spot closest to the front door. He leapt from the car to open your door for you. What a gentleman.

The two of you silently walked to the front door, stopping just a few feet from the glass barrier. The fluorescent bulbs in the dimly lit lobby illuminated Zak’s sharp features.

“Well, thank you for everything Zak. I know it sounds cheesy, but I haven’t had that much fun in a long time.” You felt your phone buzz in your bag, but you ignored it. Instead, you focused on the handsome man who stood just inches from you.

“Oh, you know me darlin’, cheesy is at least half of my personality,” he chuckled. “But I’m glad I didn’t bore you to death.” He winked.

“Bore me? No way! I’ve been waiting to see that museum of yours forever! And to be spoiled with a personal tour, well, let’s just say you made my year.” You could feel your heart pound in your chest. You wanted to kiss him, oh you wanted to shove him against the wall behind him and grip hard onto those broad shoulders. But, even though you knew Zak, you couldn’t let that kind of move make things weird between you.

Instead, you shifted your weight, fishing in your bag for your front door keys.

“Well, I guess this is goodnight. I’ll see you… soon? We have another episode to film in, what, a week?” You fumbled with your keys at your side.

“Yeah, but maybe we can have a second date before then? Tomorrow, I’m going to see my mom, and the next day I promised Aaron I’d go golfing with him, but maybe the day after that? We can grab lunch or something?” Well, it was a good sign that he was asking about a second date. Sure, it would have been awkward if he said he’d rather just be friends after this, but Zak wasn’t exactly the kind of person who would keep his thoughts to himself. If this didn’t feel right, he would have said so.

And that meant you were officially dating, which still blew your mind.

“Sure!” you agreed. “I don’t have anything planned for the rest of the week, which sounds kind of sad when I say it, but I’m totally down.” Zak beamed as he nodded.

“Cool. I’ll text you, and we can plan something.” He nodded. “I’m glad you had fun.” His head bowed just a little as his eyes searched for your gaze. “Goodnight.”

Zak took a step closer and reached out his hand, cupping your left cheek. Oh my god, this was it. Zak Bagans was going to kiss you.

The right side of your lip curled the moment his lips landed on yours. Zak’s thumb smoothed over your cheek as his lips moved ever so slowly, in sync with yours. He was warm, soft, and everything you had been daydreaming of when you drifted off in the car on your way to investigations. And, something about this contact just felt right.

Zak pulled away, keeping the contact short and sweet. He smiled down at you, silently searching for approval. You grinned, cheeks rosy and warm under his touch.

“Goodnight, Y/N,” he saluted in a low whisper before stepping away. He waved as he made his way back to his car. Then, with your head in the clouds, you turned towards the door.

**

The moment you entered your building, you pulled your phone out of your bag. A new text from Jay popped up on your phone. Of course, the closest thing you had to a brother was checking in on you.

(9:25pm) Jay: Hey, are you still alive? How did it go?

(9:36pm) Y/N: It went great!! I had a lot of fun! Who knew Zak Bagans is a true gentleman?

(9:37pm) Jay: Oh, don’t feed into it. ;)

(9:38pm) Y/N: Well, until I have proof to the contrary, I say he actually has manners.

You slipped your phone into your pocket as you turned the lock on your door. Now that you were home, you realized you were exhausted. It had been an exciting day, and nothing sounded better than curling up on the couch and falling asleep to some trash TV.

The moment you pushed the door open, a swirling pink tornado encompassed you, completely coating you and the surrounding floor. What the… The fuzzy hall light illuminated the millions of pink particles that now surrounded you. Was that… glitter?

You blinked the horrendous substance from your eyelashes as rage built up from deep within your soul. You sucked in a deep, glitter-ridden breath and sighed.

“Fuck you, Aaron Goodwin.”


	6. Chapter 6

Rage boiled through your veins as your stared at the flashy pink glitter on the floor. Your eyes moved along the shiny nuisance, following it to the river of red and pink heart-shaped confetti that led into the rest of your home. More hearts littered the walls, poorly-cut pieces of paper with love quotes, and red and pink streamers criss-crossed overhead. As you took a step in, you heard music playing from a back room, most likely from your television.

“It’s like… Valentine’s Day threw up in here,” you mumbled as you slowly stepped towards the living room. The confetti faded into another substance, deeper red. “Rose petals? Really Goodwin?”

You phone buzzed in your pocket, jolting you from your rage-filled cloud. It was Jay.

(9:45pm) Jay: I’m just glad you had fun.

You stared down at the text. There was no doubt this was Aaron’s work, no one else would go this far out. But, how did he get in? The only person other than you who had a key to your place was…

Jay.

You closed your eyes and let out a long sigh. Sure, betrayal stung, but karma was a bitch.

(9:47pm) Y/N: I want my key back, and I hate you.

(9:48pm) Jay: ????

(9:48pm) Y/N: You know.

You snapped a picture of the carnage and sent it to Jay with several angry face emojis. For several minutes, he didn’t answer. Figures. He knew what he did, or at least what he allowed to happen.

You let out another long sigh. This was going to be a bitch to clean up. But, you thought Zak might get a kick out of it. So, you sent him several photos, hoping to at least get a laugh out of this catastrophe.

**

“Hey, I can’t lie, he did go all out,” Zak admitted as he laughed. You stood your tablet up in front you as you munched on your breakfast. You were happy to have a surprise breakfast with Zak, even if it was virtually. He was gradually getting ready to spend his day with his mom, which made you smile inside.

“Yeah, he did, but now I have to buy a new vacuum. That glitter ruined my brand new one! One hundred dollars down the freaking drain,” you whined. You took a bite of your oatmeal, then leaned back in your chair. “And I don’t know how that asshole passed kindergarten. I’ve never seen more lop-sided hearts in my life!”

Zak’s nose scrunched as he laughed. “Yeah, paper art isn’t exactly his thing. Or, he did it on purpose knowing you would notice and it would piss you off that much more.” You rolled your eyes. Knowing Aaron’s actual incredible artistic talent, Zak was probably right.

“Well, I’m out a vacuum. And, I’ll probably have to disclose that there is a never-ending glitter infestation when I sell this place.” Zak’s face froze at your words.

“Wait, you’re selling the place?” You cocked an eyebrow.

“Uh, not right now, but I’m sure I won’t live here forever. Or, maybe I will. I don’t know.” The air around you felt heavy for a moment, but Zak’s laughter broke the silence.

“I still can’t believe Aaron trashed your place like that. I mean, I have to give it to him, it’s pretty well done. Although, the glitter is pretty fucking cruel.” Zak grinned, making your heart skip. God, he was handsome, and funny, and just, well, everything you were looking for.

And, now, everything was really sinking in. The man on the screen was the man you were dating, Zak Bagans, the man you never thought you’d have a chance with until a few days ago. You were still pinching yourself.

“Yeah, glitter is the bane of me existence—” your phone buzzed beside you, cutting you off. You rolled your eyes at the name on the screen. “Speak of the devil. I never texted him last night, so he’s probably wondering if his ‘brilliant’ plan worked.”

Zak chuckled again, slipping his glasses on. “Well, I’ll leave it to you to rip him a new one. I’ve got to get over to my mom’s pretty soon.” You nodded and shook your phone.

“Oh, don’t worry, I’m already planning my payback.”

Zak leaned his head back as he cackled. “Well, if you need an accomplice, let me know.” You raised your brow. “It would only be fair. You know, since Jay was obviously in on it.”

“Oh? Have you chosen a side?” You giggled, taking a sip of coffee.

“I may have picked a side. Or, maybe I’m a double agent.” He winked, but you just narrowed your gaze.

“Traitor.” You laughed with Zak, admiring his gravelly laugh.

“Alright, well, I’ll text you later, okay? Have a great day, beautiful.” Your heart nearly burst out of your chest. But, you held it together with a smile, and nodded.

“Have fun, handsome. Say ‘hi’ to you mom for me.” Zak nodded, then blew you a kiss before signing off.

You sat in your chair for a second, allowing your mind to settle. Then, you picked up for phone, ready to rip Aaron a new asshole.

You glanced down at your phone. 1 New Text Message: Aar Bear

(10:03am) Aaron: How was your date, Lovebird? Did you make it home? ;)

(10:08am) Y/N: Oh, yeah. I made it home just fine. I had a blast yesterday. :) Oh, by the way, I fucking hate you.

(10:10am) Aaron: What? Why would you say something like that? I’m one of your best friends!

(10:11am) Y/N: Well, first of all, you owe me a new vacuum. That glitter completely fucking ruined it. Oh, and you aren’t allowed at my place ever again. Oh, and I know you had help. All threats will be neutralized.

(10:13am) Aaron: Uh, oh. We’ve been had. xD

(10:14am) Y/N: Karma’s a bitch, Goodwin. Watch your back.

**

*Two days later*

Packing for an investigation was something that took you days to finish. Sure, it was only three or four nights from home, but it wasn’t anything like packing for a vacation. You obviously needed clothes and toiletries. But, you also needed your gear.

You slipped your laptop into its case and stood it next to your open suitcase. Then, you grabbed your still camera, an extra memory card, several rechargeable batteries, and your share of video cameras. The fact that your equipment suitcase was twice as big as your clothing suitcase never failed to make you laugh.

It was important to make sure every piece was properly charged and working properly. So, you followed the routine that Jay had taught you when you first started. You took a couple of shots with your still camera, which worked perfectly, then placed it into the protective pouch in your suitcase. Next, you tried out your video camera, testing a good minute of video, then placing it in its spot.

A knock at the door spooked you, nearly making you drop one of you night-vision cameras. Ah, they were early. You launched from the floor and shuffled over to the front door.

The crew all decided that it would be a good idea to meet the day before you left, as usual, to make sure there was a game plan for departure and for the first day of the investigation. So, Billy, Aaron, Jay, and Zak were all going to meet at your place to go over what needed to happen. Of course, that meant actually letting Aaron and Jay back into your home, which you promised you wouldn’t do until you got then back for their stunt. But, if you played it cool, you could get them back when they least expected it.

However, the timing worked perfectly, because your date with Zak would start after everyone left.

You opened the door, where you greeted Zak. He lived the closest to you, so you weren’t surprised he got there first, and twenty minutes early.

“Hey, you,” you greeted with a smile. Zak stepped inside, lugging two small suitcases of equipment. They obviously weren’t his clothing suitcases, yes plural. He had two, and each were twice the size of yours.

“Good morning, or I guess afternoon—” He stared down at his fancy watch. It was ten minutes passed noon, and your stomach was telling you it was almost lunch time.

“Just chuck those into my office. That’s where the rest of my equipment is right now. Do you want anything to drink? I was thinking about ordering lunch for everyone in a few minutes. I don’t have a lot of food around since we’re leaving tomorrow.” Something about having Zak in your home felt so natural. Sure, the guys liked to meet at your place and drop off the equipment with you the day before leaving. You were, after all, they main AV tech now, and all of the equipment should be in one spot where you can triple check it all before you left.

“Nah, I’m good gorgeous. When are the guys gonna be here?” Zak asked. You tilted your head.

“I told everyone, including you, to be here at twelve thirty, but I’m sure Aaron will be here closer to one. You know him.” You rolled your eyes and laughed.

“Well, my mom always taught me to be early,” he teased, shooting you a wink. “So, what’s the plan for tomorrow?”

You shrugged, leading Zak to your office. “I don’t know yet. Billy is going to tell us when he gets here. He always has the master plan.” Zak nodded, approaching you.

Zak placed his stuff beside your equipment bags, then turned to you. He reached out, curling your hair behind your ear, before allowing his hand to rest on your face. His thumb gently stroked your cheekbone.

“You excited for tonight? It’s not going to be as thrilling as our first date, but it will be fun.” You nodded, offering a blushing smile. “Good, me too.”

Zak leaned in and brushed his nose against yours. It was you who closed the distance, gently planting your lips on his. The moment you made contact, Zak hummed and smiled against you. His other arm slipped around your waist, pulling you closer against him. Your hands smoothed up his shoulders, then your arms found their place hooked around his neck.

His lips danced with yours, slow and soft. His hot breath tickled your cheeks as he pushed you backwards, stopping when your ass gently met with the edge of your desk. He wasn’t forceful or aggressive, but firm as his fingers curled around the fabric along your back.

“Ah-hem,” you heard a higher pitched voice clear their throat. You and Zak launched from each other and turned toward your office door, where you met the gaze of Billy and Jay. You really needed to get your key back from Jay.

“Uh, hey guys, you’re early.” Zak stared down at his watch again.

“Yeah, sorry if we’re interrupting anything,” Billy teased.

“Good thing we got here before they got too far,” Jay poked. You rolled your eyes.

“Yeah, yeah. You caught Zak and me making out. Good for you. Can we just get started please?” You snapped playfully. The guys laughed, including Zak. Then, Billy and Jay tossed their gear onto the floor and plopped down on the floor beside it.


End file.
